Bill in the works for $20 million Tonto Basin bridge after deadly flooding
Dec 21, 2019, 12:47 PM | Updated: Dec 22, 2019, 6:50 pm
(Photo by Gila County Sheriff's Office)
(Photo by Gila County Sheriff's Office)
PHOENIX – A bipartisan bill has been introduced to construct a bridge in the Tonto Basin at the Bar X crossing in Gila County where four people, including three children, have been killed due to surging creek waters in the past month.
6-year-old Willa Rawlings, her brother Colby, 5, and cousin Austin, 5, were killed when Daniel and Lacey Rawlings attempted to cross Tonto Creek with seven children in a military-style truck that was swept away by the flood waters on Nov. 29.
Another man was found dead after attempting to cross the creek 20 miles north of where the Rawlings attempted to cross about a week earlier.
The bill would appropriate $20 million from the state general fund in fiscal year 2020-2021 to the department of transportation to construct the bridge.
“The reason why I sponsored the bill is because what I’ve learned in the short three years I’ve been down at the Capitol is that it takes leadership and courage to step out in front and lead on important issues,” State Rep. David Cook, who sponsored the bill, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
Gila County spokeswoman Jacque Sanders said the county has repeatedly applied for federal funds to pay for a bridge, but hasn’t been awarded a grant for the project.
In both cases, people disregarded either permanent warning signs or barricades and decided to attempt crossing the creek anyway.
Daniel Rawlings previously said people consistently go around barricades to cross the creek.
About 1,000 people are impacted when the creek floods.
“The children that live across Tonto Creek have no choice,” Cook said. “Their parents decided to live there, they’re being raised there. It’s not like they have a choice whether or not they can get to school and home from school every day in a safe manner.”
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey told reporters the state is in a good financial position and that he will consider providing money in next year’s state budget to help build a bridge over the creek.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gabriel Gamino and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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